I love Spring mix lettuce. That along with some grapefruit, avocado, jicama and red onion makes a beautiful salad.
A good friend of mine gave me this recipe for Spring Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado Salad which is great for any spring and summer luncheon or dinner. It is full of color and interesting taste and textures.
Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing or you can just buy it already made.
There’s something about having a good friend who loves to cook as much as you do. We’re on the same wave length when it comes to food and cooking. We cook together at each other’s homes and when we travel together, you will always find us in some neat little corner grocery, husbands in tow, looking to see what local markets are selling. On a trip to Italy a few years ago, we found several little groceries that peeked our interest. (See pictures at bottom of this post.) I remember one little store in Santa Margarita that had some meats that we did not recognize and the butcher explained the different cuts and the unusual looking one was rabbit. I’ve bought rabbit before but it was frozen and in a box. This was as fresh as it just hopped right up to the meat case.
So, we don’t go any where that we aren’t searching out local market places, whether it be Italy, Napa Valley, New York and San Francisco’s China Town.
I have prepared this recipe for showers, luncheons and dinner parties. And it is so beautiful served on a platter instead of a bowl because you can arrange all the ingredients for a beautiful presentation. Just give it a quick mix right before serving.
Ingredients are pretty simple — spring mix, grapefruit, avocado, jicama and some red onion and of course the poppy seed dressing. I think some toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts would be a great addition.
Poppy Seed dressing was a snap to whip up and so much fresher than anything you would buy in the store.
Platter of salad. Toss right before serving to mix all the ingredients.
Spring mix with Grapefruit and Avocado
Ingredients
- 4 c. spring mix greens
- 1 c. grapefruit sections
- 1 small jicama peeled and julienned
- 2 avocados
- 1 small red onion sliced thinly
- Poppy Seed Dressing: or use store bought
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar or plain
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon grated onion or 1/8 tsp. onion juice
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Cover a large platter with the spring mix greens. Layer on grapefruit sections, jicama, avocado and red onion. Drizzle with the poppy seed dressing.
- Poppy Seed Dressing: Combine sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard and onion in bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add in the oil in steady stream and whisk until it has emulsified. Stir in poppy seeds.
Poppy Seed Dressing:
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar or plain
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon grated onion or 1/8 tsp. onion juice
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Poppy Seed Dressing: Combine sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard and onion in bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add in the oil in steady stream and whisk until it has emulsified. Stir in poppy seeds.
TRAVEL PICTURES FROM THE PAST….
The day we went in this little store we were leaving Cinque Terre to take the train to Rome. No one spoke English so when we were buying our cheeses and meats we used our hands to show the person how much we wanted. Fun train trip for the six of us travelling. Lots of good meats, cheese, fruits and of course a couple bottles of wine and a suitcase for a table.
The day we arrived in Sienna it was market day and the air was filled with the wonderful aroma of huge pieces of hanging prosciutto and roasted pig with lots of produce and fruits and vegetables. We could have spent all day just looking at the food vendors. I’m afraid I was standing there drooling over the roasted pig– I can close my eyes and I’m almost there.
4 Comments
Pat
May 8, 2010 at 1:47 pmI love getting your emails and I love trying all the salads you post. I am a salad person and I love trying new ones.
Thank you so much.
Sherry
June 10, 2010 at 8:04 pmI love salads also and have some other good ones coming up.
Maddy
May 13, 2010 at 11:04 amThis looks like an interesting combination! I’m a big fan of avocado and grapefruit, but never thought of using them together! I’m in love!
BTW- thanks for the info and links on the cones! I really appreciate it 🙂
Sherry
June 10, 2010 at 8:03 pmSuch a fresh combination of ingredients.